Everest Waste Clean-Up Plan Cancelled by Nepal
A new five-year plan was introduced that will see rangers monitoring teams above base camp
Nepal has announced the termination of its long-standing Mount Everest waste deposit after more than a decade, concluding that it has not succeeded in reducing the accumulation of garbage on the world’s highest peak. The refundable deposit system, in place for 11 years, required climbers to pay approximately $4,000 and to return at least 8 kilograms of waste to recover that amount. It was introduced to incentivise climbers to carry their trash out, but authorities say it failed to deliver, particularly at higher elevations where there’s actually now more waste.
Under the deposit, most climbers did retrieve waste from the lower camps, but tents, packaging, cans and other garbage continued to accumulate on higher slopes. Officials noted that the limited monitoring, with checkpoints only above the Khumbu Icefall, meant not all teams were complying. Climbers generate up to 12 kilograms of waste on an expedition lasting several weeks.
Estimates of the total volume of waste on Everest vary, but it is widely described as amounting to tens of tonnes, with figures often cited at around 50 tonnes remaining on the mountain. This includes solid waste and human excrement that does not decompose at low temperatures. While some clean-up efforts have removed trash, the problem isn’t going away.
Authorities plan to replace the refundable deposit with a non-refundable clean-up fee of the same amount. The revenue will establish a dedicated fund to support waste management, including the establishment of a new checkpoint and the use of mountain rangers who will monitor waste removal at higher camps. This shift aims to create a sustainable plan rather than relying on refunding deposits. The clean-up fee is one part of a broader five-year mountain clean-up plan, from 2025 to 2029. The strategy will also have researchers looking at relocating base camp and adjusting permits based on carrying capacity.
